"Come, come, Doc. You're allowing this too much importance. I will admit the acceptance of the religion is bad enough; but after all, I know of at least fifty prominent women, in good society, who believe in Moonerism. They are not faring so badly." * * * * * The telephone on Inspector Chadwick's desk began ringing impatiently. He picked up the phone. "This is Inspector Chadwick." He smiled at Carl. "You say you want to speak to Doctor Fielding? Why, of course. He's right here in my office." "No one knew I was here. Who----" Carl took the phone with an expression of puzzled fear. "Ruth! Yes, dearest. At once. Of course. Please try to control yourself. I'll be there as quickly as I can." He banged the receiver down, and turned to Chadwick. "Ruth calling me. She's talking strangely. Said someone put your phone number in her mind. She wants me at once. Come with me, Chadwick. Something's wrong." "I'm on my way now!" Chadwick followed Carl out of the office. Reaching Ruth's apartment in record time, Carl was startled by the look of fear in her eyes. She looked as if she had just been awakened from a horrible nightmare, as she stood before him in her negligee; her light brown hair, usually so well-brushed and sleek, was now a wild mass of disorder. "Oh, Carl! Carl! What has happened to me? Where have I been?" She ran to his arms. "Why, Ruth, don't you remember? I left you last night at the Countess Moonard's. You insisted upon staying." "Yes, yes, I remember that. Then I went to sleep. The Countess said----" Her eyes closed. She seemed about to faint. "She said what?" Carl took her shoulders between his hands and shook her anxiously. "Ruth, what did she say?" Ruth's eyes opened. The fear came into them again, and she began crying hysterically. "Oh, it can't be! Carl, I'm lost! Lost!" she sobbed. "Ruth, you must get a grip on yourself and tell us what happened." Carl led her to a chair, into which she dropped, limp and helpless. Suddenly she started talking again, her eyes staring widely. "I don't know. I don't remember what happened after I fell asleep at the Countess'. I should remember. I want to remember what she said to me, and I'm afraid now. I awoke here in my room. I heard a voice calling to me. There was no one here, no one with a voice like the one that was calling me. It's calling now! It's warning me, Carl, warning me not to go on. Listen! I can hear it so plainly. It's a voice--a voice like that old man's. The old man with the horrible face, and eyes, and--oh, Carl, Carl, what did I do? Now there are two voices. The Countess is telling me to come back--to sleep, to sleep. And that old man is saying: 'Don't listen to her; listen to me. I am your master. Moonere will take your soul to a hell beyond hell!'" Her voice broke with uncontrollable sobbing. She began babbling insanely.